Speaking before tonight's meeting of Cork City Council, Sinn Fein
Councillor Jonathan O Brien, described the 16 % rent increase
imposed on its tenants as exploitative, immoral and very wrong
and should be withdrawn.

Jonathan O Brien said: " When the establishment parties -
Labour, Fine Gael, the PDs, and Fianna Fail - passed the
estimates imposing this inordinate rent increase on tenants of
Cork City Council I pointed out that the Council was behaving in
a manner befitting the worst private landlord. I therefore
fully support tenants who are opposing the rent increase.

The actions of the Cork City Council are exploitative because it
is making their tenants pay for it's own inefficiency. As I have
already pointed out, if the Council were to make full use of its
empty properties, then it could raise the extra income now being
demanded from its tenants.

It is immoral because Cork City Council is abusing its position
to raise funds from some of those least able to pay. For example
pensioners who are tenants are being charged an extra 10 Euro out
of the 12 Euro extra granted to them in the budget.

It is wrong because Cork City Council, as a landlord, does not
provide a good service to its tenants. Cork City Council has one
of the worst repair programmes in Ireland. Repairs are very
difficult to get done and there are still some properties without
hot water. Tenants in the Glen and Togher have no control over
their own heating.

In the circumstances the rent increases are unjustified and must
be withdrawn."ENDS